Happy Halloween!

 

AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator

In the eldritch tapestry of All Hallow's Eve, there exists a being of dread beyond mortal ken. Each year, the Great Pumpkin ascends from the accursed patch that it deems the most imbued with a grotesque sincerity. It must choose this blighted realm, compelled by forces unfathomable. There is no conceivable sanctity in any other gourd-strewn acreage, for here, only abominable earnestness reigns. A dismal sincerity extends as far as the eye can bear to peer, a sincerity that beckons shadows and loathsome truths.

When the night of Samhain arrives, the Great Pumpkin, that loathsome entity, awakens from its aeons-old slumber within the cursed patch. It emerges with its abhorrent sack of playthings, and soars through the night sky, casting a malediction upon all children. The vile air is tainted with the eerie rustling of its supernatural descent, a harbinger of eldritch horrors that shall befall those it encounters. The Great Pumpkin, a dread specter of cosmic malevolence, visits not with gifts, but with calamities beyond mortal comprehension.

Beware, for in the forlorn pumpkin patches, the Great Pumpkin waits, a nightmarish being whose motives and origins remain shrouded in the unfathomable darkness of the cosmos, where sanity crumbles, and terror reigns.

 

(This is what happens when you plug some quotes from It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown into ChatGPT and ask it to spit them back out in the style of H.P. Lovecraft "for the lulz."  Happy Halloween!)

Dungeon23: Week 43

Area C: Albumic Chambers – West

This map is released under terms of the  CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Room 15: Chamber of the Worm-Dragon

This chamber features the bones of a dragon resting on the floor.  Worms like those that make up the handmaids are wriggling around them.  On a negative reaction (assuming the PCs have an aboleth eye,) the worms swarm around the bones, and form an outer skin that animates the draconic remains.  The worms around the dragons’ heads converge into a central, glowing eye like that of a handmaid.

Worm-dragon: AC 0 [19]; HD 9; MV 90 ft. (30 ft.); ATK 1d4+3/1d4+3/3d10 (two claws and one  bite) or special; SV fighter 9; ML 10; AL C; XP 6,900 (or HD + two specials)

Eye of Absorption: the eye of a worm-dragon acts similarly to a rod of absorption.  Spells cast at the worm-dragon are absorbed by the eye, storing the energy for later use.  It can absorb up to 50 points worth of spell levels.  The worm-dragon can then use that stored energy to cast one of the following spells, at the cost of one point per spell level: charm person, levitate, magic missile, mirror image, protection from evil, sleep, see (detect) invisibility, silent image (phantasmal force.)

Spell Breath: In addition to spells, the worm-dragon can discharge any stored spell energy as a breath attack.  The breath is a five-foot wide, 100-foot long beam of psychic energy that deals 1d6 damage for every point of spell energy spent (up to 10 maximum.)

The worm-dragon forming (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

Room 16: Observation Decks

These balcony-like protrusions in the Ovoid's hollow core allow for a full view of a colossal, petrified creature suspended from massive, umbilical connections.  The monumental, alien god cannot be affected by any means available to the player characters (PCs,) with the notable exception of a reversed, flesh to stone spell, which merely reveals a patch of pulsating, otherworldly flesh that is quickly restored to a petrified status by the Ovoid.  In such a case, the Ovoid's alert level quickly rises to Active (2.)

 

The Petrified God in the Ovoid (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

Room 17: Umbilicus of Consumption

One of the umbilical tendrils that connects the petrified creature at the Ovoid’s core ends in this chamber as a pulsating, semi-spherical bulb.  There are scattered, mundane items around it, including coins.  A living or organic creature that gets close to the bulb (perhaps by rummaging through the items) triggers a feeding response from the umbilicus.  The victim must save against spells or be instantly slain and their corporeal body consumed utterly.  The victim is forever lost and cannot be raised without first employing powerful, reality-altering magic, such as a wish or divine intervention.  Even on a successful save, the victim suffers 10d6 damage as their flesh becomes grayish, brittle and flaky from a disintegration effect.

The umbilicus can be temporarily deactivated (2d6 rounds) via a charm monster or dispel magic spell.  Controlling the area's brain-node can also deactivate the umbilicus at will.

The piles of coins among the mundane items amount to 1,000 gp and 60,000 sp.

Room 18:  Sphincter Pit the Third - Defensive Gizzard

This chamber contains a third, sphincter-hatch pit on the floor similar to Rooms 3 and 6.  However, this one has been closed off at 70 feet to form a sac lined with sharp, calcareous protrusions.  Falling characters suffer 7d6 damage and are pierced or scratched by one or more of the protrusion for 3d6-1 damage.  The protrusions secrete a toxin that dissolves tissue from the inside.  Characters must save against poison or die painfully in 1d6 rounds.)

Room 19: Bone Marionettes

This chamber features a vaulted ceiling with four (4) bone creatures (golems) like the one in Room 1, suspended from the ceiling by organic tendrils.  The creatures appear to be dormant or inactive.  Below each creature is a recessed pit over seven (7) feet deep with glittering coins below.  Entering a pit activates and releases the bone creature above, which drops inside the occupied pit, and attacks anyone in it.

Each pit has 1d4+1 x 1000 sp and 4d6 x 100 gp.

Death from above  (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

Room 20: Auxiliary Tunnels

This area is a labyrinth of multiple, tapering tunnels that lead nowhere.  The Ovoid can transform these into chambers when necessary, but are currently unused.  Areas 3-5 feet thick on the walls are weak and can be detected by searching for secret doors.  However, destroying the walls alerts the Ovoid as normal.

Room 21: Sanctum of the Amber Brain Beast

This chamber is an organic rotunda with an amber statue carved into a vaguely animal form at the center.  Inside the statue is a brain-node like other ones within the Ovoid.  There are also 1d4 handmaids here: half tending to the encased brain-node, with the rest blend into the walls, dormant until danger is detected. 

The guardian of this area's brain node (adapted from AI images courtesy of NightCafe and Bing Image Creator.)

 

The handmaids here are wary of even those bearing an aboleth’s eyes (-2 to reactions.)  In the event of combat, PCs must contend not only with the handmaids, but also the amber creature, which animates as a golem of the same material (HP 45.)
Valuable shards of amber can be recovered from the creatures remains.  The lot is worth 3,600 gp to the right buyer and weighs twice that amount in coin.

The brain-node inside of the amber beast controls this area (Rooms 15-21,)  which includes the larger sphincter-hatch on the wall that leads to the Ovoid's Embryonic Core (Area D.)

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Dungeon23: Week 42

Area B: Albumic Chambers – East

This map is released under terms of the  CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Room 8: Contained Infection

The sphincter-hatch to this chamber has been shut due to a fungal infection that came in from the Underwilds.  The handmaids have quarantined it until they can send cleanup organisms to deal with the infection.  There are six (6) patches of this sapient, colony fungus.  If threatened, the patches take on tall, vaguely humanoid forms and attack.

Fungal Infection (shambling mound): AC 1 [18]; HD 7; MV 60 ft. (15 ft.); ATK 2d8/2d8 (arms); SV fighter 7; ML 11; AL N; XP 60-1200 (or HD + one special)

Engulf: a shambling mound that hits a human-sized or smaller victim with two attacks absorbs them into its body.  The victim is suffocated and crushed in 2d4 rounds unless freed. 

Immunities: the shambling mound’s moist, outer structure renders it immune to fire and resistant to cold (half damage.)  The shambling mound also absorbs electricity, granting it an additional 1d6 hit points per attack of this type.

Foreign bodies that sometimes infect the Ovoid are quarantined and destroyed (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

Room 9: Specimens

This chamber has 10 recessed alcoves on the walls, each with a desiccated humanoid inside.  They are the remains of a previous “infection” (i.e. adventuring party) that have been kept for study.  The psychic projections of three (3) handmaids from Room 13 are present (treat as invisible stalkers: HP 46, 42, 34.)

If the PCs are carrying one of the Aboleth's eyes, they are entitled to a reaction check, and the handmaids will ignore them on a positive or neutral result.  On a negative result, the handmaids attack.  Furthermore, they animate the specimen's bodies as mummies (HP 26, 25, 23, 28, 27, 26, 20, 31, 19, 21,) and the Ovoid's alert level goes up by one.

While the corpses were stripped of weapons and armor, they retain their clothing, jewelry, and belt pouches with coins and some gems.  This amounts to 11,120 gp total in valuables and weigh five times the amount in coin.

Room 10: Pustular Barracks

The walls of this chamber are lined with several clear, gelatinous globes.  The globes on one side have yellowish-orange liquid inside, while the ones on the other side have dark liquid.  Piercing one of these globes releases an ooze.  The light-colored ones are ochre jellies, while the dark ones are black puddings.

Any missed attacks during combat in this room have a 2-in-6 chance of rupturing a globe and releasing an ooze.  Rupturing a globe also increases the Ovoid’s response level by one.

Room 11: Bilic Duct

This tunnel opens to a chamber saturated with a faint, wispy mist, that conceals multiple protrusions on the floors, walls, and ceiling.  There is a 2-in-6 chance that entering this area causes one or more of the protrusions to expel more of this bile-mist filling the 20-foot area.  The concentrated mist is caustic and deals 4d6 damage for 2d8+1 rounds (save against breath for half,) then it becomes thin enough to be harmless.  This is a defensive measure to keep the fungal infection in Room 8 away from the area’s brain-node in Room 13.  

Finding a way to float, fly or otherwise move through the room without making contact with the floor, walls, or ceiling keeps the protrusions from expelling the bile-mist.

The sphincter-hatch to and from this room is closed and concealed by protective, membranous growth.

Room 12: Nodal Atrium

This chamber has three, elevated levels.  There are four (4) handmaids present, blended into the walls: two on the lowest level, and one each on the higher levels.  They are here to guard the brain-node in Room 13 from the fungal infection in Room 8.

There is a closed, sphincter-hatch on the top level.  It is concealed by protective, membranous growth and leads to Room 11.

A handmaid has been alerted to the characters' presence (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

Room 13: Area Brain-Node

A brain-node like the one in Room 5 rests above another organic pedestal, which controls this section of the Ovoid (Rooms 8-14.)  There are three (3) handmaids tending to it.  For each psychic projection that the PCs destroyed in Room 8, there is one less handmaid.

Room 14: Cyst Vault

The floor of this chamber is lined with10 cyst-like buds about 2-3 feet tall.  The tops of the cysts have star patterned seams and are coated in a glistening slime. If touched by an organic creature, the seams open in a flower-like fashion to reveal inorganic, foreign objects (including treasure) inside.  However, the cysts' coating is highly toxic to the touch and causes 3d6 points of damage to a victim’s Constitution (save against poison at -5.)

The contents of the cysts are as follows.  The GM should feel free to roll randomly and reroll any repeated results:

1. Several inorganic, mundane items of little or no value.
2. A platinum belt buckle shaped like a wolf’s head with two gems for eyes; worth 105 gp
3. 2,684 gp, a gem worth 50 gp, and an invulnerability potion
4. Six rusty iron spikes, two gems worth 10 gp, and three worth 100 gp
5. An ornate dagger with three gems worth 50 gp each
6. An empty potion vial and 1,256 gp
7. A battered, pock-marked buckler (shield,) two gems worth 50 gp, and a gem worth 500 gp
8. 220 gp, three gems worth 10 gp each, and a potion of speed
9. A stone icosahedron with strange symbols, 31,500 sp, 341 gp
10. 3,500 sp and 80 gp

The cysts do not open if prodded by non-living creatures or objects, such as a wooden pole or weapon.  They can be cut open with 5 hit points worth of damage, but this elevates the Ovoid’s alert level by one.

Inorganic debris in the Ovoid is collected and stored for later disposal (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

 

 

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.  The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Dungeon23: Week 41

Level 9 - The Ovoid From Beyond the Stars

Living passages within the Ovoid (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

The Ovoid is a living, organic vessel of alien origin.  The inside of its solid surface teems with strange life, from its very walls to the organisms that dwell within.  The Ovoid itself is semi-sentient, and its organic passages can become aware of intrusive bodies and respond accordingly.  The Ovoid’s features are as follows: 

Walls: The Ovoid is a living, organic construct, as evidenced by its moist, pulsating, fleshy, and semi-calcareous walls.  The walls may be damaged by spells or magic weapons.  Dealing 18 points or more of damage causes a rupture in an area roughly five feet in diameter.  However, hurting the Ovoid, even through indirect damage (such as spells or missed, magical missile weapon fire,) engenders an immunity response (see below.) 

Illumination: The inside of the Ovoid is shrouded in darkness.  However, the glow of electrical pulses traveling between nerve endings can sometimes be seen through the walls, providing a brief moment of illumination like a lightning flash every 1d6 rounds.  This can be checked during combat, or when player characters (PCs) are attempting to be stealthy, since it can potentially disrupt such attempts. 

Doors: As an organic construct, the Ovoid does not have doors per se.  Major junctions (rooms) have sphincter-like hatches, about five-six feet in diameter, that open and shut at the whim or necessity of the Ovoid.  Every time the PCs enter one of these junctions, one or more of the sphincter-hatches are open (roll randomly for the number.)  If the PCs stay in a junction for 1d6 turns, or return to one later, they will see that the sphincter-hatches change their status (roll again.)  Casting charm monster on the walls or hatches allows a magic-user to open and close any sphincter-hatches by mere thought for the duration of the spell.  The Ovoid counts as an above-average intelligence creature for purposes of the spell.  Knock spells, as well as physical force (roll for opening stuck doors) can open a sphincter-hatch, but these heavy-handed attempts elevate the Ovoid’s response level by one (see below.) 

Immunity Response: Every time there is a hostile encounter or the Ovoid’s structure is damaged, its response level elevates as it tries to deal with invaders.  The Ovoid’s alertness levels are as follows:

Passive (0): This is the Ovoid’s normal status.  Random encounters occur as normal for a dungeon.  The sphincter-hatches open and shut as described above. 

Alerted (1): The Ovoid has become aware to the presence of danger.  Random encounters are checked every turn.  Sphincter-hatches are checked once and do not change.  Electric pulse illumination occurs every other round. 

Active (2): The Ovoid is actively fighting the “infection”.  Random encounters occur on a 2-in-6 chance every turn.  All sphincter-hatches are shut, and open only for wandering monsters.  The Ovoid is illuminated with constant, nervous, electric activity in the walls.

Use of a charm monster spell (see above) can reset the Ovoid’s response level back to Passive (0).

Area A: Chalazaeic Passages

This map is released under terms of the  CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

 

Room 1: Wall Guardian

This airlock-like room (“a”) ends in a sphincter-hatch that opens once the PCs enter through the opening on the Ovoid’s outer shell (using one of the Aboleth's eyes.)  This outer shell’s opening closes first, then the sphincter-hatch in front opens.  Inside is a chamber with a four-armed, bony humanoid embedded on the pulsating wall.  Its arms end in ossified spikes and blades rather than hands.

As soon as the PCs cross to the mid-point of the room, the GM should check for a reaction from the creature (treat as a golem of bone, HP 38.)  The PCs are entitled to this reaction check only if they possess one or more of the Aboleth’s eyes.  Otherwise, (or on a negative reaction) the creature rips itself from the wall and attacks the intruders; the Ovoid’s response level goes up by one (see above.)

PCs can exit and reenter the Ovoid by the same method (i.e. using one of the Aboleth’s eyes.).  There five other "airlocks" in this section of the Ovoid (also labeled “a”.)

The recess where the wall guardian rests has a bone socket with a glowing, grub-like creature connected to it.  There is one (1) polyp above the socket glowing wth the same intensity as the grub.  If the grub is removed, it and the polyp stop glowing (see puzzle explanation in Room 2 below.)

Room 2: Living Chest Prison

This room is dominated by a massive, chest-like structure that emerges from the floor.  Its throbbing, organic body is reinforced with rib-like banding.  The “chest” seems to be shut and does not have a lock, but rather a bony socket one one side, surrounded by six (6) small polyps that pulse with faint electrical light.  If the grub in Room 1 is still connected to its socket.  The top polyp is glowing more intensely than the others.

If the PCs touch the “chest” it communicates via empathy: it requires “connection”.  All it can do is communicate this need with increasing desperation.  What it means by this is that it needs to be connected to the section’s main brain-node (see Room 5.)  This is done by connecting a number of organic grubs (found in Room 4) to similar sockets in five other rooms in the correct order: One – Room 2, Two – Room 3, Three – Room 6, Four – Room 7, Five – Room 5.  Finally, a grub must be attached to the “chest” socket to open it.  When a grub is connected to a socket in the correct order (based on number of polyps next to it,) its body as well as the polyp(s) surrounding it begin to glow.  At the same time, one of the six polyps on the "chest" lights up in clockwise, sequential order (starting from the top.)  If the PCs connect a grub to a socket with the incorrect number of polyps in the sequence, an electrical surge fries the grub and causes 1d6 damage to the character that was holding it.

If the PCs manage to connect grubs to all the sockets in the correct order, the chest opens to reveal a mass of worms that forms into a handmaid like the one in Room 5, albeit slightly shorter in stature.  It introduces itself telepathically as Aarvyx and explains that it is part of a rogue faction of handmaids.  These occasionally occur, and the Ovoid tries to exterminate them mercilessly like a cancer.  However, this one batch became too powerful and so had to be contained in a prison pod disconnected from the section’s brain-node.  Aarvyx wisely split itself, letting one half of itself escape into the Underwilds before it was captured.  Aarvyx and its other half are all that remains of the rogue faction.

In gratitude, the rogue handmaid will grant a magic-user the knowledge of how to use the brain-nodes to open and close sphincter-hatches and raise or lower the Ovoid’s response level.  However, the brain-node only works on this section of the Ovoid.  Other sections have their own brain-nodes.

Aarvyx’s other half is none other than Xyvraa at the Emporium in the City of the Snake-Men (Level 7, Area C2.)  If Aarvyx manages to escape the Ovoid, it will eventually rejoin with itself.  PCs returning to the Emporium will be rewarded with one or more random or special magic items (GM’s discretion.)

Room 3: Sphincter Pit

The floor in the center of this area is actually a larger (10-foot radius) sphincter-hatch.  There is a 2-in-6 chance the hatch opens in funnel-like manner, dropping characters into a five foot-wide pit that drops 100 feet below (area and room TBD) for 10d6 damage.  The sphincter-hatch shuts only if the Ovoid’s response level changes.  It cannot be opened via physical means available to the PCs, but spells such as knock work, elevating the Ovoid's response by one level.

This room has a wall socket with two (2) glowing polyps.

The pit also provides access to the next sections of the Ovoid via ledges (see map.)

Room 4: Storage Sac

This room features a recessed pool of glowing, amniotic liquid.  Several six-inch long, grub-like creatures swim in it.  These grubs are organic “connectors” that need to go in the bony sockets to connect the living "chest" in Room 2 to the brain-node in Room  5 to open.  While a little disturbing, the grubs themselves are harmless.  When held near one of the sockets, the grub’s mouth filaments reach out greedily for it.    There are enough grubs in the pool that the PCs can waste as many as they need to eventually solve the puzzle.

Connector grubs (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

Room 5: Brain Node and Handmaid

This chamber features a brain-like mass floating above an organic pedestal.  Tending to this brain-node is a humanoid creature made up of writhing worms similar, but smaller than the Snake God.  The creature has one, central “eye” on its writhing “head.”  These are the Ovoid’s Handmaids that tend to its needs.
The PCs are entitled to a reaction roll only if they possess one of the Aboleth’s eyes.  Otherwise, the handmaid attacks.  In the event of combat, the Ovoid’s response level goes up by one.  The handmaid communicates telepathically, but ignores the PCs on a neutral or positive reaction, unless they attempt to disturb it or handle the brain-node.

Handmaid of the Ovoid: AC 5 [14]; HD 8; MV 120 ft. (40 ft.); ATK special;  SV magic-user 9;  ML 10;  AL C; XP 3,000 (or HD + four specials)

Camouflage: the handmaids can blend in completely with the walls of the Ovoid, making them indistinguishable from the organic structures. 

Psychic Ray:  The handmaid’s eye can blast a ray of psychic energy in a 20-foot wide cone up to 60 feet away.  Victims must save against magic wands or become stunned (unable to move or act) for 2d6 rounds. 

Wormtacles: the handmaids can extend up to four, tentacular strands of worms to attack.  The tentacle strands envelop and restrain the victim (half move, and -2 to hit and damage.)  They can be removed by a successful roll to open stuck doors (penalty above applies.)  A handmaid with a single victim will attempt to envelop them in all four tentacle strands.  The worm tentacles then seek to tap the victim’s spine (1d3 damage,) and feed on the fluid within.  The victim dies in 1d4 rounds. 

Spells: The handmaids have spell-like psychic powers.   They can cast the following spells once per day: charm person, charm monster, detect thoughts (ESP,) and levitation.

The organic pedestal has a bony socket with five (5) glowing polyps. 

One of the Ovoid's handmaids tending to a brain-node (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

Room 6: Sphincter Pit Part Deux

The floor of this room has another large sphincter hatch as in Room 3 above.  The bottom of this pit is Area D, Room 25. 

The wall of this room has a socket with three (3) glowing polyps.

This pit also provides access to other sections of the Ovoid through the overhanging observation decks ledges (see Area C, Room 16.)

 

Room 7: Constricting Appendix

This passage ends in a tapering, 10-foot by 10-foot area surrounded with fleshy polyps, and scattered, glittering coins (60,000 sp, 4,000 gp.)  The polyps are very sensitive to touch, and cause the chamber to collapse tightly, constricting anyone within for 12d6 damage.  The chamber releases once the foreign body is removed, usually by one of the Ovoid’s ooze-like cleaning organisms such as an ochre jelly.  A charm monster spell can also cause it to release.

The entrance of the chamber (before the constricting area,) has a wall socket with four (4) glowing polyps.

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.  The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Dungeon23: Level 8 - The Underwilds

This map is released under terms of the  CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Area Links:

Area A – Howling Tunnels
Area B – Fungal Jungles
Area C – Magma Fields
Area D – Sea of Darkness

Movement on the Map

Movement through the Underwilds map uses the same method as wilderness travel.  The terrain categories are as follows:

Large Caverns: These immense cavern networks are large enough to be easily navigable.  Travel is at the normal rate.  Chance to become lost is 1-in-6.
Dense Caverns: These are labyrinthine tunnels that are difficult to navigate without a guide.  Movement here is at 1/2 the normal rate. Chance to become lost is 3-in-6.
Fungal jungle: These represent areas of large and dense fungal growth.  Movement is at 2/3 the normal rate.  Chance to become lost is 2-in-6.
Magma field: These represent fields and caverns broken by flowing magma rivulets, pools, and obsidian outcroppings.  Movement is at 2/3 the normal rate.  Chance to become lost is 2-in-6.
Rough crystal:  These are geode-like areas with sprouting crystals of various sizes.  Movement is at 2/3 the normal rate.  Chance to become lost is 2-in-6.
Underground river/lake:  These areas may require some form of water conveyance with oars such as a rowboat, canoe, or raft (for rivers.)  Eunshiel on the Sea of Darkness employ small, ornate galleys/longboats rowed by slaves, while the ennan have slow barges with steam-powered paddle wheels.  Movement varies by vessel.  Chance to become lost (Sea of Darkness only) is 2-in-6.

Going off the Map

The Underwilds are vast, perhaps as vast as the world above.  There are several areas where the players could feasibly go off-map.  In this case, the writer recommends that the GM use a map such as the one suggested in the Original Game (here’s a recreation from Bat-in-the-Attic.)  The scale is the same as the Underwilds map (1 hex = 3 miles.)  Clear hexes are large caverns, forests are fungal jungles, hills are dense caverns, deserts are magma fields, and swamps are crystal roughs.  The GM should pick a starting area on the map that is similar to the terrain on the Underwilds map where the characters stepped off.  Towns are the settlements of sentient creatures such as the snake-men and deep fey.  Lairs are the homes of monsters, and castles can be the special lairs of unique creatures, the weird strongholds of adventurers same as in the world above, or even small dungeons like the Ovoid From Beyond the Stars (who’s to say there are no other Ovoids?)

Random Encounters (2d6)

2    1d4 dragons of varying type depending on area: Howling Tunnels – white or blue (50/50 chance), Fungal Jungles – green, Magma Fields – red, Sea of Darkness - black
3 – 6     See the corresponding Area Table below
7    Deep Fey caravan (as human merchant caravan, but with an equivalent number of eunshiel or half the number of ennan.)  In the Sea of Darkness, this is a deep fey ship (see above) with the same number appearing as pirates or buccaneers.
8    An ennan working camp such of miners or fungal loggers; 4d4 in number
9    A party of 4d8 eunshiel scouts or hunters of the appropriate Clan.
10    Snake-Men patrol or scout force composed of 1d6+3 Myrmidons, half that number of Emissary support staff, and one of the following (1d6): equal number of (1) minotaurs (1), (2) ogres, (3) trolls, or (4-6) twice the number of baern-men (bugbears) with crossbows.
11    NPC adventurers
12    Roll on the Unique Table

A: Howling Tunnels

3    Earth elemental
4    Air elemental
5    1d2 stone giants
6    1d4 hill giants

B: Fungal Jungles

3    1d2 chimera with bioluminescent camouflage (3-in-6 surprise)
4    1d2 manticores with bioluminescent camouflage (3-in-6 surprise)
5    1d4 werebears or wereboars (50/50 chance)
6    Random species of unique and dangerous Underwild flora or eunshiel hunting traps (see Level 4, Room 11)

C: Magma Fields

3    Fire elemental
4     Fire giant
5    1d4+1 fire salamanders
6     2d4 hellhounds (7 HD)

D: Crystal Shores and Sea of Darkness

3    Water elemental
4    1d4 chuul (see entry D6)
5    Hydra (roll randomly for number of heads/HD)
6    2d10 piscepithecan warriors

Unique (1d4)

1    Roll on the Sorcerers of the Underworld encounter table for the City of the Snake-Men
2    1d2 black puddings
3    1d4 vampires
4    1d2 purple worms

Commentary

The Second Wilderness

Like the City of the Snake-Men (Level 7,) I wanted this to be a different kind of dungeon level.  I read the module D1 Descent Into the Depths of the Earth for reference and inspiration, but felt the map scale was too small, so I raised it to three miles per hex.  This makes for a larger playground where characters can grow in power before challenging the final levels (9-10.)

Trippy Map

If the map looks familiar, it’s because I modeled it somewhat after the map of Minaria from the game Divine Right, which I mentioned back in the Northern Marklands commentary.  I think the psychedelic color palate and unique style was perfect to convey the weirdness of the Underwilds.

Elemental Themes

I tried to have each area correspond to one of the four elements, kind of like the Nodes in T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil: Howling Tunnels – Air, Fungal Jungles – Earth, Magma Fields – Fire, and Sea of Darkness – Water.  However, I think the needs of the level ended up out-weighing any theme.  For example, even though earth-themed, I envision the Fungal Jungles to be more like something out of the movie Avatar, with multicolored, glowing fungoids, and tribal eunshiel hunters instead of the Na’vi, so I moved the earth elemental encounters to the Howling Tunnels.  Maybe they are at war with the air elementals?

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.  The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Dungeon23: Week 40

Area D: The Crystal Shores and Sea of Darkness

The calm, underground Sea hides great danger (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

 The Magma Fields and Fungal Jungles eventually converge into a cooler region with crystalline fields and patches that dot the shores of an immense, underground lake.  The presence of the Ovoid From Beyond the Stars, which rests in the Sea’s eerily calm waters, makes travel in this body of water dangerous.

This map is released under terms of the  CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

D1: Eunshiel Lowlands

This valley hex nestled between crystal hills is mostly flooded by the waters of the Sea of Darkness.  The moist ground promotes fungal and algae growth, and rich fisheries which feeds 130 eunshiel of Clan Andulath (26 able-bodied.)  Their village, like the valley, is mostly under shallow water, with fungal wood structures on dry areas connected by bridges.  Small boats and barges carry the eunshiel to their farms and fisheries on the shore.  The eunshiel keep mostly to the southeastern part of the Sea to avoid the regions closest to the Ovoid, which is the domain of bizarre, aquatic monsters and hostile piscepithecans.  Some intrepid traders do approach the blind fish-men, but only during certain times (see D4 below.)
The waters of the village lead to a cove which is the submerged lair of a black dragon (HP 89) and her two young (HP 23, 22.) Deep underneath these waters is her treasure of 13,000 ancient, platinum coins.

The Lowlands are relatively safe...for eunshiel, that is (AI image courtesy of NightCafe.)

D2: Not-so-Excellent Prismatic Island

Multicolor lights can occasionally be seen originating from this small island, which acts as a sort of natural lighthouse.  The island is full of large, quartz-like crystals.  Any time light shines on these, they reflect prismatic beams from their facets in multiple directions.  Any creatures in the island within 60 feet of the crystals are struck by one of these colored beams (roll 1d8):

1. Red: the target takes 20 points of heat/fire damage (save against spells for half.)
2. Orange: the target takes 40 points of caustic damage (save against spells for half.)
3. Yellow: the target takes 80 of electricity damage (save against spells for half.)
4. Green: the target must save against poisons or die instantly.  A successful save still results in 20 points of toxic damage.
5. Blue: the target must save against petrification or become encased in crystal
6. Indigo: the target must save against magic wands or become insane.  The GM determines the deatails of the character’s insanity.
7. Violet: the target is transported to another plane of existence or random place on this plane (GM’s discretion.)  
8. The target is struck by two rays; roll twice, re-rolling any “8” results.

Among the crystals are skeletons and vestiges of wrecks with scattered treasure of coins (50,000 sp, 2,000 gp) and valuable goods such as art objects and jewelry (400 gp, 500 gp, 600 gp, 800 gp, 900 gp, 1000 gp, 1100 gp x2, 1200 gp x2, 1400 gp, and 1800 gp.)

Deep fey sailors avoid the prismatic island if they can (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

D3: Dread Totems

This hex and its adjacent land hexes have picket lines of stalagmites that have been carved by the piscepithecans into strange totems.  The alien structures defy description, since the blind creatures work in texture rather than visual image.  These totems mark the fish-men’s domain and serve both religious and defensive purpose.
The totems, which are 2d6x10 feet apart, can detect Lawful creatures in a 120-foot radius as a detect evil spell.  If Lawful creatures are detected, the totem emits eerie sounds that are not unlike those heard inside a seashell, but with the addition of faint, unintelligible words.  Anyone within 40 feet of a totem is close enough to be affected physically by the sinister, Chaotic verbalizations (no save.)  The effect varies by the creature’s level or hit die (HD):

1-3 HD: The victim dies instantly, their bulging eyes and veins forming an expression of abject horror.
4-8 HD: the victim comes under the effects of a confusion spell for 1d10 rounds.  In addition, they are stunned (unable to move or act) for one round, and deafened for 1d4 rounds.
9-12 HD: the victim is stunned as above for one round, and deafened for 1d4 rounds.
13+ HD: the victim is struck deaf for 1d4 rounds

Any Lawful, non-humanoid monsters such as blink dogs, unicorns, pegasi, and gold dragons that exposed to the sounds of the totems are automatically turned as if by a 13th-level cleric of Chaos.  This may destroy low HD creatures, their flesh melting from their bones to horrendous screams, howls, or whinnies.
In addition, the sounds of the totems are loud enough to trigger a random encounter roll.

The piscepithecan's totems keep the curious away (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

D4: Piscepithecan Village

A village of 20-30 crude huts made of fungal wood, bones, and carapace rest haphazardly on the shore.  The place would be somewhat unremarkable, if not for its exotic location and its denizens – the piscepithecans.
The energies emanating from the Ovoid affect much in this region of the Underwilds, especially the Sea of Darkness.  These energies accelerated the evolution of certain species of blind fish, causing them to become self-aware and amphibic, eventually emerging from the shore in a perversion of the natural, glacial process.  
Piscepithecans are hunched, four-foot tall humanoids with fish-like features.  Their scaled skin is pale, almost translucent and coated in glossy, primordial slime.  Flesh-covered, vestigial eyes gleam impossibly with wicked intelligence, as their psychic senses can detect prey without the need for vision.  Their muscled limbs are equally adapted to move on land and water, and can wield crude weapons such as harpoons, clubs, nets, and others.  All piscepithecans have a strong, psychic connection to the Ovoid, but only their eldest females are able to employ this connection to manifest supernatural powers.

A piscepithecan male (left) and elder female (right) (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

The piscepithecans begin life as pollywogs swimming in hidden, well-guarded spawning areas on the shore and shallows of the Sea of Darkness.  Once the young piscepithecans grow limbs and emerge, they begin to display sexual characteristics, which determine their role in society – males become hunters and warriors while females tend to the spawning pools, algae crops, and village life.  However, their society is female-dominated.
As the young females begin to swell with eggs, the males become increasingly aggressive, going on hunts for pleasure (instead of subsistence,) and raids against their Underwild neighbors, especially the deep fey.  Eventually, this is not enough as the males of a village turn on each other in a violent frenzy, while the young females hide in the spawning pools and lay their eggs, protected by their elders.  The few, remaining victors among the males then have the privilege of inseminating the eggs, but give the females a wide berth, for the post-spawning matrons develop fearsome psychic powers.  Older males later train the younger generation, but usually perish during the periods of frenzy.  Any slaves or prisoners the tribe keeps also tend to perish during this time.
The elder matrons of a cycle form a council that administers the village.  The council spends most of its time on the atoll that surrounds the Ovoid (see D7 below.)  Only they are allowed in this (un)holy place.  Here, the council serves the whims of the Aboleth – the piscepithecan “queen.”  It is not known by which process the Aboleth is born, whether a single female is chosen by the Ovoid or whether it is created by a merging of them.  Regardless, the elder council descends into the waters around the Ovoid one day, never to be seen again, and a new Aboleth emerges (or perhaps it is the same one.)  The younger, post-spawning females brought here then become the new ruling council of matrons, which instinctively know their duties to the Aboleth and village due to their psychic link.
During the more peaceful times of the piscepithecan life cycle, the creatures are willing to engage in trade with the deep fey for goods, food, and even slaves.  Wise traders are aware of this cycle and know to avoid them during their periods of bellicosity.  The piscepithecans have a strange deference for the snake-men, and the rare procession from their City's ruler to visit the Ovoid is always welcome, for such is the Aboleth’s will.
The village is currently in one of these “peaceful” cycles, but unless PCs pose as traders, they are not necessarily welcome.  The village has 17 piscepithecan warriors (2HD, AC 5 [14], harpoon spears) an older male hetman (8 HD, AC 3 [17], wood two-handed sword with crystal “teeth”,) his lieutenant (4 HD, AC 4 [16], bone battle axe,) and an elder female present.  The rest of the villagers are non-combatants: young males and females (90%,) and their slaves (10%.)

Piscepithecan Warrior: AC 5-3 [14-17]; HD 2-8; MV 90 ft. (30 ft.,) swim 180 ft. (60 ft.); ATK by weapon; SV fighter 2-8; ML 9; AL C; XP 60-1200 (or HD + one special)

Blind: Piscepithecans are immune to spells or effects that affect vision, such as mirror image, phantasmal force, or invisibility.  They can detect the presence of creatures up to 40 feet away on land, and 80 feet underwater.  However, loud continuous noises affect this ability, cutting this range by half, and inflicting a -1 penalty to hit rolls.  An anti-magic field completely disrupts their blindsight, rendering them truly “blind.” 

Slime: The piscepithecans’ slimy skin provides immunity to poison and deflects electric attacks for half or no damage, depending on saving throw.  In addition, attempts to grapple them or restrain them physically are difficult due to their slipperiness (GMs discretion; suggested -2 to -4 penalty to attempts.) 

Stealthy: Piscepithecans in aquatic or amphibious environments surprise their opponents on a 3-in-6.

Piscepithecan Elder Female: AC 5 [14]; HD 6; MV 90 ft. (30 ft.,) swim 180 ft. (60 ft.); ATK 1d4 (staff or dagger); SV Cleric 7; ML 9; AL C; XP 2,000 (or HD + three specials)

Blind: Piscepithecans are immune to spells or effects that affect vision, such as mirror image, phantasmal force, or invisibility.  They can detect the presence of creatures up to 40 feet away on land, and 80 feet underwater.  However, loud continuous noises affect this ability, cutting this range by half, and inflicting a -1 penalty to hit rolls.  An anti-magic field completely disrupts their blindsight, rendering them truly “blind.” 

Slime: The piscepithecans’ slimy skin provides immunity to poison and deflects electric attacks for half or no damage, depending on saving throw.  In addition, attempts to grapple them or restrain them physically are difficult due to their slipperiness (GMs discretion; suggested -2 to -4 penalty to attempts.) 

Spells: Piscepithecan elder females develop fearsome psychic powers.  An elder female can cast the following spells once per day: 1st – detect evil, (cause) fear; 2nd – bless, detect thoughts (ESP); 3rd – dispel magic, 10-ft. invisibility; 4th – 10-ft. protection form evil; 5th – finger of death 

Stealthy: Piscepithecans in aquatic or amphibious environments surprise their opponents on a 3-in-6. 

Treacherous: Psicepithecan elder females that surprise opponents or are invisible can backstab with their sharp, crystal daggers as thieves of the same HD.

D5: Crystal Cliffs

This elevated area rises to about 100 feet and cuts off abruptly into cliffs of sharp crystal.  The crystals continue to the water and form coral-like reefs.  Under this "reef" is an extensive geode cave system that leads to the top of the cliffs as well as additional caves.  Something about the crystals in the cliffs and caves is uncomfortable to the piscepithecans’ senses, so they avoid them.  Inside these caves is a route back to the surface world (not shown on the map.)

D5a: Cavern of the Deep Ogres

The underwater tunnel surfaces through a pool inside a crystalline cavern.  A waterfall feeds the pool from the shadows high above.

Inside is home to 11 large, ogres that are are descended from servile creations of the snake-men, but have been mutated by the presence of the Ovoid into amphibian creatures with sinuous bodies (for an ogre,) green, squamous skin, and webbed hands and feet that end in claws.  They exist in a state between animal instinct and prehistoric savagery, raiding piscepithecans and deep fey trade vessels alike.

They care not for wealth and trinkets, but succulent flesh and meat, which has just conveniently served themselves up to them.

Merrow: AC 4 [15]; HD 4+3 (HP 20, 19, 21, 26, 22, 28, 24, 22, 19, 15, 28); MV 60 ft. (20 ft.), swim 120 ft. (30 ft.); ATK 1d6/1d6/2d4 (claws and bite) or 1d8+3 (large spear); SV fighter 5; ML 8; AL C; XP 450 (or by HD plus one special)

Amphibious: merrow can breathe air or water.

Natural camouflage: while underwater, merrow can surprise victims on a 3-in-6 chance.

D5b: The Jagged Waterfall

The waterfall originates from a sinkhole in the cavern 150 feet above.  The climb is arduous, but not impossible for a thief alone or other characters with ropes, spikes, and patience.  However, the crystals walls for the first 50 feet are an added danger, with a 1-6 chance per turn of causing 1d4 damage to climbers due to random lacerations.

At the top of the waterfall is a limestone cave hat that been carved over centuries by the waters of an underground river in a gradual, upward slope.  The cave's exit, covered in gnarled roots and hanging moss empties into the mountains in hex 2417 of the wilderness map.

D5C: Smuggler’s Cache

A side passage with this limestone cavern is a narrow squeeze, allowing for one character at a time.  It empties into a natural chamber with barrels, sacks as well as a large treasure chest.  This cache and treasure belonged to a long-forgotten syndicate of river smugglers and pirates that is long gone, but left a nasty surprise: a flat stone before the chest conceals a pressure plate, that when pressed, causes darts to fire from the wall behind the chest.  The volley of darts deals 5d4 damage (save against breath for half.)  In addition, the darts are coated with deadly wyvern poison (save against poison or die.)

The goods in the barrels and sacks are foodstuffs which have long since spoiled, with the exception of casks of wine worth 900 gp.  The chest, marked with the symbol of this syndicate, has a carefully-placed variety of precious gems, glittering coins, and intricate jewelry:

• A sapphire necklace adorned with a miniature longboat pendant – a luxury version of a type of necklace worn by people of the North to keep a loved one safe while they are away.  It is worth 2,500 gp.
• A set of three, ivory statuettes depicting three of the four Elemental Dukes of the Far West.  Each is worth 800 gp.
• A velvet-lined box containing a pair of gold earrings studded with bloodstones, valued at 1,200 gp.  The box has the seal of a noble house from the Kingdom of Alba to the south.
• A silver locket containing a miniature portrait of an enigmatic woman – perhaps a lover of the Dread Pirate Khalkis’.  It is valued at 1,000 gp.
• A collection of assorted rare and semi-precious gemstones, collectively worth 6,000 gp.

D6: Serene Island

This island is empty save for a scattering of flotsam and the humanoid bones of shipwrecked, deep fey sailors.  Every eight (8) hours spent on this island increases the random encounter chance by one (1.)  In the event of a random encounter, it will be with one of the following, who emerge from the shore (roll 1d6): (1-4) a hunting party of piscepithecans (3d6 2 HD with one 4 HD,) or (5-6) 1d4 chuul – an aberrant form of intelligent, underground quasi-crustacean that the piscepithecans value for its carapace and meat.

Chuul: AC 3 [156]; HD 11+2; MV 90 ft. (30 ft.,) swim 60 ft. (20 ft.); ATK 2d6/2d6 (pincers); SV fighter 11; ML 8; AL C; XP 4,000 (or HD + two specials)

Pincers: a chuul that hits a single, human-sized or smaller creature with both pincer attacks transfers them to its tentacular mandibles (see below.) 

Tentacles:  the chuul’s mandibles are surrounded by tendrils that secrete a paralytic poison (save against paralysis.)  The chuul masticates paralyzed prey for 1d8 damage per round.

D7: Island of the Ovoid

A crystal-studded, crescent atoll surrounds a gigantic, egg-like monolith, about two-thirds submerged in the still waters of the Sea.  The island, while quiet, seems to almost vibrate with a palpable force.  Magic-users can feel a faint ringing in their heads not unlike being before the gaze of the Snake God, but at a diminished frequency.
The only structure on the island is a large hut similar to ones found in the piscepithecan village.  It is the home of the piscepithecan elder matrons.  The inside of the hut is spartan and contains a few, primitive home goods – nothing of immediately obvious value.  
If the PCs approach the shore near the Ovoid, six (6) human holy women will appear.  These are actually five (5) piscepithecan elder females, and the aboleth “queen” under an illusion to disarm or confuse the characters.  Due to their psychic powers, the matrons are aware of the PCs actions (if any) at either the piscepithecan’s village (D4) and/or the dread totems (D3,) and will react accordingly.  If a battle is not going their way, they will retreat into the waters of the lagoon, where they have the advantage.
The aboleth’s true appearance is like pisceptithecans’ unnatural evolution come full-circle.  Its slimy, translucent, fish-like body has four, enlarged tentacles and three, dark eyes, equidistant from each other in a triangular pattern.  It can communicate telepathically and read thoughts, thereby knowing the PC's desires.  It would rather control them (via charm) and use them as her champions, but will gladly destroy them if they are a threat.

Piscepithecan Queen (Aboleth): AC 3 [16]; HD 9; MV 90 ft. (30 ft.,) swim 120 ft. (40 ft.); ATK 1d6/1d6/1d6/1d6 + special  (tentacles); SV cleric 9; ML 9; AL C; XP 4,000 (or HD + two specials)

Mucus: The aboleth’s skin is coated in a mucus-like slime.  While underwater, the aboleth is surrounded a cloud of this mucus in a 5-foot radius. A creature within this cloud must save against poison or lose the ability to breathe air, but gain the ability to breathe water (as the spell.)  In addition, a victim that is hit by one of the aboleth’s tentacles must save against poison or contract a strange disease, which takes one (1) turn to manifest.  The victim’s skin becomes scaly, translucent, and slimy.  They require immersion in water once every hour or suffer 1d6 damage.  The effects of the poison and disease last 1d3+1 hours.  Magic to cure diseases can neutralize the effects of the mucus.
Spells:  the aboleth’s psychic powers manifest as an ability to cast charm monster and phantasmal force three (3) times per day each.  It can also cast detect thoughts (ESP) at will.

The floor of the lagoon is littered with bones containing several treasures that once belonged to an unfortunate adventuring party that made it to the Ovoid and perished:

• A sentient, +1 sword (+2 against magic-users/elves,)  that can communicate via empathy (Int 8, ego 1, AL L,) and can detect traps and shifting architecture once per day.
• A +1 sword (+3 against enchanted creatures)
• Two scroll tubes: one is a cleric spell scroll: finger of death (reversed raise dead,) protection from energy (resist cold,) speak with animals, remove curse (reversed,) neutralize poison; and the other is a magic-user spell scroll: ventriloquism, invisibility (10-ft. radius,) charm person, invisibility, darkvision
• A potion of clairvoyance

The Ovoid’s calcareous surface is solid and pockmarked with craters of various sizes.  It appears to be impervious to both sword and spell.  However, holding one of the Aboleth’s petrified, gem-like eyes before it and touching the surface causes a circular doorway to form, leading inside.

The Ovoid awaits (AI image courtesy of Bing Image Creator.)

This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document.  The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.